I got the opportunity to interview Ben Bruce and James Cassells of Asking Alexandria at the Vans Warped Tour '11. I was a huge fan of these guys, so I was ready to begin.
From the start I knew it was going to be good.
Ben Bruce said to me: "Your hair is red."
Mary Magpie: "It was blue, and purple before…"
Ben: "Woah, what happened?!"
James Cassells: "Ahhh, she changed it."
Ben: "You took a shower, came out and that happened."
MM: "Yeah I woke up one morning and it was like this."
I could already tell that they were silly and sarcastic and I was looking forward to joking around with them.
MM: "What's the best thing about Warped Tour?"
Ben: "Nothing. It's shit."
He had a straight face, so there was a moment of silence.
James: "Dude, I quite like the backdrops."
Ben: "The backdrops are nice… I like Warped Tour because the amount of bands that are here."
MM: "What's the funniest thing that's happened on tour?"
Ben: "This interview. Way fun. This is hilarious."
Ben continued to keep a stoic expression, making it even funnier.
MM: "If you could do a collaboration with any band on Warped who would it be?"
Ben: "Elton John."
James: "He's not on Warped Tour…"
Ben points to the Elton John poster on the wall: "He's right there. No one can see him, but we can."
MM: "What's the best part of being in Asking Alexandria?"
James: "All the free booze. Drugs, women."
Ben: "The music's okay. Play a show or two I guess."
MM: "How do you like being on Warped in comparison to your other headlining or supporting tours?"
Ben: "It's different. I don't like it any better, I don't like it any more. Every tour we go on is different. It(Warped) takes a lot more effort. It's the whole day, and you put on a show, and you're outside, there's a million people. It's definitely just as much fun."
MM: "What do you see in the future for Asking Alexandria?"
James: "World domination. You know Star Wars? The big Death Star? I see that happening. We'll just be one big Death Star."
MM: "Can you describe yourself in three words?"
Ben: "Fucking unbelievably sexy."
James: "Sums it up."
MM: "What's an embarrassing or unexpected song you have on your iPod?"
Ben: "I've got some shit music I don't even listen to."
MM: "We've gotten Titanic, we've gotten things from Disney…"
James: "Oh Titanic is fine."
Ben: "Barbie Girl."
James: "I'm Blue."
Then they break out into that song.
Ben: "I'm gonna go download that tune."
Bruce and Cassells had straight faces throughout the interview, I realized it was best to let boys be boys.
Hardcore bands are so busy screaming and moshing its easy to forget theyre just guys having fun.
I was glad to allow them the opportunity to show their other side.
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